DontTreadOnMeVa
Regular Member
Ok, I have been researching Va. knife laws and I am very frustrated. Between the, 'any weapon of like kind', vague references to Bowie and Dirks aspects of the law...I am really at a loss to decide what I can and cant carry, so I decided if the law is vauge and bad It should be changed. I am about to send this to my senator as a first contact to see that response I get, but first I would like to get feed back from some of you.
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Senator Harry B. Blevins
I am writing you today out of frustration and to request help. As a Virginian that exercises his second amendment rights, I thought researching and making sure I was complying with Va law regarding open and conceal carry of a firearm was difficult in many ways, until started looking at Va. knife laws. I am hoping you would consider sponsoring a bill that would clean up the vagueness in the law that makes impossible for someone to be sure of the legalities of Va. knife laws.
First, I would like to explain why this is important to me. So far, Va has failed to pass a parking lot bill that allows one to keep a legal firearm in ones car at their place of work. I do expect this will eventually pass once there is a shift of power in the senate, but as it is I can not carry to and from work. This opens up a large part of my day(as I travel to and from work) that I am severely impaired in my ability to exercise my basic human right to self-defense. So, I decided to look into my other, and sadly less effective, options to protect myself and my family. One of them I decided was to start carrying a knife both as a utilitarian tool and to also to double as a defensive tool, but I was surprised to find that Va knife laws was so messy.
Problems with the law currently include: One, there is a couple definitions prohibited types that are questionable, Bowie and Dirks are prohibited but not defined. Second, and made much worse is the fact also embedded in the law is the line later of 'any weapon of like kind' is also prohibited. Most officers I know, let alone jurors would not know how to define that makes given knife a Dirk or a Bowie, couple that with 'like kind' and law is so vague how is one to know if one is violating that? What is "like kind"??? I would say any knife being used for self-defense violate that in its most broad and open interpretation! As it stands, after spending quite a bit of time looking into this I am no better able to define that I can and cant legally carry regarding a given knife model. I am sure you would agree, the law should not be so vague that one can not tell if one is violating it or not.
That I would ask you for help with is sponsoring a bill(s) that would do three things. One, remove the antiquated Bowie and Dirk language from the law. Secondly, remove the 'any weapon of like kind' regarding model of knifes can be carried. This would remove the pitfall that makes nearly any knife open to interpretation as being in violation of the law. Lastly, I would ask that you sponsor a knife preemption bill for all the very same reasons that Va has firearm preemption, which I believe enjoyes your support.
Virginians deserve the law to be free of broad vagueness especially regarding issues concerning the most basic of human rights, self-defense.
For Freedom,
Will xxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Va Beach, Va. 23452
Ps-If it would be helpful I could send you a draft of such bills to consider for proposal, if that would be helpful.
***************************
So, any input, advice or suggestions?
*************************
Senator Harry B. Blevins
I am writing you today out of frustration and to request help. As a Virginian that exercises his second amendment rights, I thought researching and making sure I was complying with Va law regarding open and conceal carry of a firearm was difficult in many ways, until started looking at Va. knife laws. I am hoping you would consider sponsoring a bill that would clean up the vagueness in the law that makes impossible for someone to be sure of the legalities of Va. knife laws.
First, I would like to explain why this is important to me. So far, Va has failed to pass a parking lot bill that allows one to keep a legal firearm in ones car at their place of work. I do expect this will eventually pass once there is a shift of power in the senate, but as it is I can not carry to and from work. This opens up a large part of my day(as I travel to and from work) that I am severely impaired in my ability to exercise my basic human right to self-defense. So, I decided to look into my other, and sadly less effective, options to protect myself and my family. One of them I decided was to start carrying a knife both as a utilitarian tool and to also to double as a defensive tool, but I was surprised to find that Va knife laws was so messy.
Problems with the law currently include: One, there is a couple definitions prohibited types that are questionable, Bowie and Dirks are prohibited but not defined. Second, and made much worse is the fact also embedded in the law is the line later of 'any weapon of like kind' is also prohibited. Most officers I know, let alone jurors would not know how to define that makes given knife a Dirk or a Bowie, couple that with 'like kind' and law is so vague how is one to know if one is violating that? What is "like kind"??? I would say any knife being used for self-defense violate that in its most broad and open interpretation! As it stands, after spending quite a bit of time looking into this I am no better able to define that I can and cant legally carry regarding a given knife model. I am sure you would agree, the law should not be so vague that one can not tell if one is violating it or not.
That I would ask you for help with is sponsoring a bill(s) that would do three things. One, remove the antiquated Bowie and Dirk language from the law. Secondly, remove the 'any weapon of like kind' regarding model of knifes can be carried. This would remove the pitfall that makes nearly any knife open to interpretation as being in violation of the law. Lastly, I would ask that you sponsor a knife preemption bill for all the very same reasons that Va has firearm preemption, which I believe enjoyes your support.
Virginians deserve the law to be free of broad vagueness especially regarding issues concerning the most basic of human rights, self-defense.
For Freedom,
Will xxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Va Beach, Va. 23452
Ps-If it would be helpful I could send you a draft of such bills to consider for proposal, if that would be helpful.
***************************
So, any input, advice or suggestions?